Oppo, what say you?

"Takuro Spirit" (takurospirit) 01/15/2014 at 16:28 • Filed to: None

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Sell my '98 Camry V6 manual on CL or eBay (hopefully) and get somewhere around blue book ($2000), and buy this (well not THIS, but the same minus the headlamps) '02 Focus ZX3 manual for ~$2000 which is pretty much blue book?

offroadkarter > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:30

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those had what, the zetec?

should get better MPG's at a minimum

EuroJosh > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:30

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I like these but I heard they're hard to own because Ford keep discontinuing parts :(

duckpuke > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:31

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Is there anything wrong with the Camry or is it just preference?

For Sweden > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:31

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Will you be buying a V8 and the Ford Racing kit for a RWD conversion?

vchengap > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:34

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'05 ZX3 (5-spd) owner here. While it is a relatively fun car to drive, reliability has not been its strong suit. At 80K miles, I've had to replace the alternator and a shift fork. Motor mounts have pretty much disintegrated. NVH is horrible. Interior trim has started to fall apart - this thing is built with the cheapest plastics imaginable. On the plus side, the hatch is practical and, as I said, pretty fun-to-drive - even with blown shocks/springs.

DatASSun > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:36

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Well the answer is always Miata ..

Klaus Schmoll > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:37

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Are you going to shove your kids in through the side windows (which would have to go, obviously)? I thought that you sold the chebby truck for exactly that reason.

area man > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:39

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I don't think you should ever sell the Camry. Someone on Oppo needs a manual Camry.

Takuro Spirit > DatASSun 01/15/2014 at 16:40

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I need a back seat, unfortunately.

DatASSun > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:40

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Just put your child in the trunk ..

Takuro Spirit > Klaus Schmoll 01/15/2014 at 16:41

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For the few times a week they ride they can squeeze behind the passenger seat. Sold the truck because it was getting horrible mileage and I was bored of it already.

Takuro Spirit > offroadkarter 01/15/2014 at 16:41

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I get 28-30 with the Camry..... Focus looks to get about the same.

Takuro Spirit > duckpuke 01/15/2014 at 16:48

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It's getting old. Will need a timing belt/water pump soonish (non-interference so I'm hoping it won't break until this spring). Too big for my DD.

Drove my wife's grandma's ZX3 this weekend and forgot how much I love zippy little cars.

Takuro Spirit > For Sweden 01/15/2014 at 16:48

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YES. EXACTLY THIS.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:49

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Do It!

The Focus is way more fun to drive. The SVT suspension will straight bolt onto that car. And it's super cheap, like $250 for springs and dampers, all four corners.

duckpuke > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:50

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I'm leaning towards keeping the Camry. Timing belt/water pump to keep it going won't be too bad. Plus, it's a manual Camry. As someone else said earlier, someone on Oppo needs to own a manual V6 Camry.

I wish my '94 was manual. :(

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > EuroJosh 01/15/2014 at 16:52

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Not so much the regular Focus, which this is. The SVT on the other hand is going to be a nightmare to find parts for here soon.

:'(

Takuro Spirit > DatASSun 01/15/2014 at 16:52

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I have two. Only the youngest will fit.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:53

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The Focus will definitely be the more fun of the two, but be warned that the early Focii (pre-2004) are either fun, cheap, reliable compacts or glitch-ridden and poorly built, and it's normally a crapshoot between the two. You really have to do your homework both on the model year and the car itself. If it's been well-maintained it wouldn't be a bad swap for your Camry, but keep in mind there's always the possibility that something could go terribly wrong.
Mind you, the car is extremely easy to work on yourself and the parts are cheap, so even if things do go wrong it shouldn't be too bad of a situation. Like I said, just be sure to check maintenance history and if it has ever been recalled. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, there's a few other Focii owners on here, too.

DatASSun > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 16:54

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Get a trailer haha

Takuro Spirit > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him 01/15/2014 at 16:55

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It's a trade in here where I work, our used car guy is going over it as I type this. So I might be able to get history on it, but so far it looks good, unmolested, but has a new MAF so its either been taken care of, or they were chasing an issue.

EuroJosh > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 01/15/2014 at 17:00

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Ford...

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 17:08

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Yep, the MAF is the Achilles' heel of a lot of Ford vehicles, and Focii aren't any different. The Zetec is really the only problem area with these cars, but most of the issues (timing belt, valve cover gasket, etc.) are readily visible, so your guy should be able to find any problems pretty easily. What's the mileage on the car? Seems like 100k-150k is the problem range where a bunch of stuff starts to go bad if it wasn't properly maintained. Let us know what he finds, the Focus guys on here can help you out if need be.

Takuro Spirit > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him 01/15/2014 at 17:29

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148K, and it needs little things like gaskets, p/s pump, t-stat housing, parking brake cables, wheel bearings....... I really like my Camry...... :D

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 18:08

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Lol I bet you do after all that. Probably a good decision to stick with the Camry regardless, I can tell you from personal experience those "little things" can add up quickly.

Takuro Spirit > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him 01/15/2014 at 18:30

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Yeah plus I just stuck $500 in struts in the Camry, and a few months before that $60 in tune up crap, plus spent hours putting all that in.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 19:03

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Jeez, even better to keep it then. The Focus is a fun car, but it's not fun enough to justify the extra costs, especially the ones already on the car. Plus, as someone else mentioned, we need someone with a manual Camry on here. It's just not right without one :)

Aero > Takuro Spirit 01/15/2014 at 19:09

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ZX3s are awesome cars. The Zetec is a non-interference engine that never really needs much. I loved my first ZX3 so much that when the girlfriend needed to replace her '02 Civic EX we picked a '00 ZX3 to take its place.